Cooling polyamide yarn

Abstract

The present invention provides a polyamide (preferably Nylon 66) yarn for weaving or knitting clothes articles which have a cooling effect on the skin of the wearer. The yarn contains an inorganic additive (preferably Titanium dioxide) in an amount of between 0.3 and 3.0 wt % and is characterized by a low crimp modulus and a flat cross section.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A yarn for use in knitting or weaving fabric for a wearer experiencing increased physical effort or being exposed to higher external temperature, the yarn
 i) consisting of Nylon 66 and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), wherein said Nylon 66 is polymerized from a mixture of monomers with TiO 2 , said TiO 2  being present in the yarn in an amount of 0.3 wt % to 1.5 wt %, 
 ii) exhibiting low crimp characterized by a crimp modulus between 2% and 3%, and 
 iii) having an elliptic cross-section characterized by a ratio between a minor axis and a major axis of between 3:7 and 6:7, 
 wherein the combination of the crimp with the ratio and with the chemical composition affects heat conductivity and the structural properties of the fabric knitted or woven from said yarn, resulting in cooling the skin of the wearer, the effects being confirmed and quantized in laboratory tests, and being compared with a comparative fabric sample on an inanimate manikin model. 
 
     
     
       2. A fabric knitted or woven solely from one type of a yarn according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       3. An article comprising a yarn according to  claim 1 , selected from underwear, sporting clothes, hosiery, socks, shapers, shirts, working cloth, sports wear, suits, and trousers. 
     
     
       4. A process for manufacturing a fabric for cooling the skin of a wearer experiencing increased physical effort or being exposed to higher external temperature, comprising
 i) providing a yarn according to  claim 1 ; and 
 ii) weaving or knitting a fabric or a textile article. 
 
     
     
       5. A process according to  claim 4 , wherein said step of providing the yarn comprises spinning Nylon 66 fibers while using spinning capillaries in the shape of the letter I.